There are many moments in the bible where it uses the word to grieve. That’s why I wanted to look at what the word grieve means in Hebrew and Greek. But first, let’s see what the definition of grieve is in the 1828 Noah Webster’s Dictionary:
“1. To give pain of mind to; to afflict; to wound the feelings. Nothing grieves a parent like the conduct of a profligate child.
2. To afflict; to inflict pain on.
For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the
children of men. Lamentations 3:33.
3. To make sorrowful; to excite regret in.
4. To offend; to displease; to provoke.”
To read the rest of the definition, click here.
“And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”
– Genesis 6:6
All scriptures are taken from NKJV unless otherwise marked.
What Does The Word ‘Grieve’ Mean In Hebrew?
adab- to languish, grieve.
yagah- to grieve; to torment.
atsab- to worry, have pain or anger.
Oddly enough, this word is used in Jeremiah 44:19 to describe the fashioning of cakes.
“The women also said, “And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes for her, to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands’ permission?”
– Jeremiah 44:19
Related: What Does The Word ‘Cleave’ Mean In Hebrew and Greek?
What Does The Word ‘Grieve’ Mean In Greek?
lupeo- to distress; to be sad.
“For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?”
– 2 Corinthians 2:2
Lupeo is used in the following ways:
- made you sorry (2 Corinthians 7:8)
- grieving the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
- to be grieved, made sorry, sorrowful (Matthew 14:9)
- grieved (Mark 10:22)
Conclusion
All in all, the word grieve signifies pain, affliction, and sorrow. That’s what the word grieve means in Hebrew and Greek. I pray you found this article helpful. If so, please share this content. Also, feel free to share any thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
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